Jacksonville Sharks Stay Unbeaten, Clinch #1 Seed

The Jacksonville Sharks, as they’ve done all season, got off to a slow start against the High Country Grizzlies. But this time, it was very short lived, as Jacksonville took the penultimate step to an undefeated regular season. At the final horn, the Sharks ran out 66-18 winners.

High Country started a new quarterback, Reed Gurchiek, and Jacksonville gave him a true Shark Tank welcome, sacking him on the first play. The drive, which featured two fumbled snaps, ended with a 38-yard field goal attempt going short.

Darien Fleming, however, had early issues of his own. His first drive ended with a Dexter Jackson interception in the end zone. The Grizzlies still struggled thanks to another fumbled snap, but Gurchiek recovered to make a deep pass to Daron Clark. The touchdown eluded them, as the drive ended with a 21-yard field goal.

It would be the last time High Country would score for more than 25 minutes.

In that time, Jacksonville rattled off 34 straight points. Derrick Ross scored twice and came up short a third time, Micheaux Robinson and Charlie Hunt netted an interceptions as part of three turnovers, and three different receivers caught a touchdown pass. Emughedi Umodu, who just signed with the team mid-week, was one of the three.

When Reed Gurchiek found Daron Clark for a 30-yard touchdown pass, and Clark handled a bad snap to run in for a two-point conversion right before halftime, the game was long over at 34-11.

Again, it would be the last time High Country would score for more than 25 minutes.

Jason Boltus came in to start the second half, and he only needed the third quarter to find his rhythm. The defense also made plays in the frame, as newly-married Dale Pierson featured on the first of consecutive sacks, and Jacksonville earned the stop on the ensuing 4th-and-24.

The Grizzlies did score for the final time of the night in the fourth quarter on a Reed Gurchiek run, but after Boltus threw his first touchdown pass as a shark to Maurice Williams. As part of the Sharks scoring the final 25 points of the night, Williams scored again. Derrick Ross also had a long, 22-yard touchdown run, extending his grip on the rushing title.

To round out the offense, Devin Wilson scampered into the end zone. On defense, another debutant, Peter Tulloch, made his mark on the scoresheet with an interception. For special teams, Nick Belcher continued his assault on the kicking record books, hitting two deuces during the scoring run.

With the win, the Sharks are now one game away from starting their NAL tenure with a perfect regular season. The last opponent standing in the way of history is the Monterrey Steel, in a game that could also serve as a semifinal preview. Kickoff is set for 7:00 p.m. on Saturday, June 17, at Veterans Memorial Arena.

High Country Grizzlies Notch Historic Win over Dayton Wolfpack

The High Country Grizzlies (2-1) scored before fans could settle in their seats, and didn’t look back as they set the bar for most lopsided victory and most points in a single game in NAL history, as they beat the Dayton Wolfpack (0-3) 94-6.

High Country stormed out to a quick 15-0 first quarter lead before an errant kickoff gave the Wolfpack good field position. Dayton couldn’t cash in, and when Malachi Jones found the end zone, High Country was up 22-0 at the end of the first quarter.

Dayton changed strategy and switched to a shotgun offense, but defensive lineman Chase Blackburn still got to the quarterback for a near sack. Complaints to the officials fell on deaf ears, and when Brandon “Fuego” Fuentes caught an errant pass near midfield, he dodged his way in to the end zone email for a pick-six and a 35-0 lead early in the second quarter. After another interception led to another Stephen Panasuk to Jones touchdown, the game was already over at 48-0.

Dayton, the most penalized team in the NAL, continued to unravel, and Panasuk and the Grizzlies took advantage. Panasuk, with time in the pocket, found Daron “Speedy” Clark who cut outside and ran the rest of the way for a 55-0 lead. Wanting more before the half, Jones answered the call yet again, scoring his third touchdown on the night. As the halftime siren sounded, Grizzlies fans were rejoicing a 62-0 lead. That’s right, 62-0.

The intermission didn’t stop High Country, as they started the third quarter with two more scores, including another pick-six.

By the time the fourth quarter rolled around, the only intrigue that remained is if the Grizzlies would keep a shutout and if they could score 100 points. The Wolfpack spoiled the first part of the party, finally finding the end zone on a quick scoring drive with 4:08 left in the game, but the result was still secured at 81-6.

It only took three plays to answer, as Panasuk found Clark on a long touchdown pass to set a new NAL single-game record for points in a game at 88. Fuentes brought the scoring to an end with his third interception of the night, his second pick-six, and the team’s sixth interception overall, to bring the score to 94-6.

The Grizzlies will enjoy a longer week as they wait to take on the Jacksonville Sharks on Sunday, April 9 at 3:30 p.m. ET.